Here's how EMS will be responding to the causeway construction

STAT Ambulance—the 911 Emergency Medical Service (EMS) provider for the Town of Dartmouth—is taking actions to reduce the impact of the closing of the Padanaram Bridge on EMS response times.

The Padanaram Bridge will close July 6, when the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) starts the causeway construction at the intersection of Smith Neck and Gulf roads.

STAT will add an impact truck that will run out of the Fire District No. 2 station on Russells Mills Road 24 hours a day to cover the west side of the bridge, representatives said.

Although the call volume in that area is very low, STAT representatives said they feel that a better service to the residents will be provided due to the challenges posed by the closing of the bridge.

The regular south unit will be repositioned from District No. 2 to the Fire District No. 1 station on Bridge street to cover the east side of the construction.

"We expect this shift in coverage to remain in place up until the completion and eventual opening of the bridge. We are confident that this will mitigate the problems anticipated from the construction," said Ryan Cabral, EMS Coordinator for STAT Southcoast, via e-mail.